In EYFS at GBP, we follow the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum. There are seven areas of learning. All areas of learning and development are important and inter-connected. Three areas are particularly crucial for igniting children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, and for building their capacity to learn, form relationships and thrive.

 

• Communication and Language: this involves giving pupils opportunities to speak and listen in a range of situations and to develop their confidence and skills in expressing themselves.
   
• Physical Development: this involves providing opportunities for pupils to be active and interactive, and to develop their coordination, control, and movement. Pupils must also be helped to understand the importance of physical activity, and to make healthy choices in relation to food.
   
• Personal, Social and Emotional Development: this involves helping pupils to:
  • develop a positive sense of themselves and others
  • form positive relationships and develop respect for others
  • develop social skills and learn how to manage their feelings
  • understand appropriate behaviour in groups
  • have confidence in their own abilities
     

We also support children in four specific areas, through which the three prime areas are strengthened and applied.

The Specific areas are:

• Literacy – We strive to create a life long passion for reading and writing through out literacy work. The children experience many different reading opportunities though out the week and are encouraged to apply their reading and writing skills into their child initiated learning. 
• Mathematics: by the end of the year, we aim for your child to be able to count reliably with numbers from one to 20, place them in order and say which number is one more or one less than a given number. They will learn to add and subtract with numbers to 10 and count on or back to find the answer. They will be able to solve problems, including doubling, halving and sharing. All through the approach of maths mastery – an approach that unpicks each step and helps children to reason and problem solve.
• Understanding the World: this involves guiding pupils to make sense of their physical world and their community through opportunities to explore, observe and find out about people, places, technology and the environment.
• Expressive Arts and Design: we teach the curriculum through the following: this involves supporting pupils to explore and play with a wide range of media and materials. It involves providing pupils with opportunities and encouragement for sharing their thoughts, ideas and feelings through a variety of activities in art, music, movement, dance, role play, and design and technology.

We also teach:

Phonics

We teach children to read and write using phonics. We use Monster Phonics to teach this. The children will learn not only the letter names but the sound that each letter makes (or sets of letters makes). We teach phonics every day and provide opportunities throughout the environment for children to practise their phonics during their play.

 

Reading

The children take part in a range of reading activities including one to one reading, guided group reading, blended reading, and shared story time sessions.

 

PE

During our PE lessons – twice a week – we learn how to move around the space without bumping into anyone, learn team games, how to catch and throw a ball and use our bodies to dance. We then use our bodies outside all the time during Discovery time.

 

Discovery Time

Discovery Time is when the children can go wherever they like and choose what it is they would like to do.

This could be cooking a feast in the mud kitchen, developing their gross motor skills on the bikes and scooters or acting out their favourite stories in the role play. This time is more than just play - it is how your child learns to interact kindly with others, use equipment safely and can challenge their own curiosities.

It is also a chance for them to independently apply something from more formal teaching time, learning through play.

Teachers will also monitor each child's characteristics of learning, namely their abilities in:

• playing and exploring
• active learning
• creating and thinking critically
  These characteristics underpin everything that the children do and will set them up with the skills needed to become independent and confident learners.